News: LSU Parting Ways With Offensive Line Coach James Cregg

National search already underway for finding new o-line coach according to Ed Orgeron

LSU is in the market for a new offensive line coach. On Wednesday the program announced it will be parting ways with offensive line coach James Cregg, with a national search already underway for his replacement. 

Cregg was entering the final season of his contract with the program and if fired without cause, LSU will owe him the entirety of his $700,000 salary. Cregg joined the staff in 2018 after spending 20 years at various college and NFL organizations as a defensive line and offensive line coach. He served as the o-line coach at USC from 2010-13 before moving on to the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers before accepting the position at LSU. 

Over his three seasons with the Tigers, Cregg helped build a Joe Moore Award winning o-line in 2019 from the same unit that was much maligned throughout the 2018 season, the first year with Joe Burrow at quarterback. The Tigers returned a different offensive line in 2020 with Austin Deculus as the only returning starter and the unit battled inconsistency throughout the 2020 season.

Whoever Orgeron hires will inherit a cohesive unit as all five starters have elected to return for the 2021 season. The unit will be spearheaded by veterans Liam Shanahan, Ed Ingram, Dare Rosenthal, Chasen Hines and Deculus. 

Moving on from Cregg is just the latest in what has been a revolving door of coaching changes by Orgeron and the program after the disappointing 5-5 season last year. LSU has brought in offensive coordinator Jake Peetz, passing game coordinator DJ Mangas, defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, defensive line coach Andre Carter and linebackers coach Blake Baker to help a youthful team grow. 

It will be interesting to see if Orgeron continues along the same blueprint of bringing in a younger, energetic coach to help improve the depth behind the starters and bring a fresh face to recruiting the position.